Dark Chocolate Macaroon Cake

August 13, 2011


I made this on a whim, promise. Part of me believed that it would be a disaster (the other had her eyes shut tight and all her fingers crossed)
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But I wasn't entirely selfish. I had a feeling this cake would be that missing link between the coconut-lovers and the coconut-haters, it's that powerful.

Knowing that I shouldn't can't have something, only makes me want it even more. My coconut obsession rears it's willowy head at random. It doesn't run as deep as my lemon love, but it's quite the crevasse. This craving has a lot to do with the fact that no one I know likes the white, fluffy shreds of bliss. Crazy, right? When asked why they don't enjoy coconut, most people complain about the taste and texture (fair enough, that's my excuse for not eating Brussels sprouts). But the very same people who wouldn't eat a coconut macaroon if their life depended on it, will scarf down a Bounty candy bar in 3 bites.

So the secret, as is so often the case, is chocolate. I don't know if I will ever be presented with dark chocolate covered Brussels sprouts, but can't say that I won't give it them try.



As has been the case for the past month or so, humid weather played a huge factor in the outcome of this recipe. It's also the reason why I have skipped so many weeks of Tuesdays with Dorie. Hopefully, with the cooler weather, I'll feel more like working around a hot, temperamental oven on a regular basis again.

This cake was supposed to wider and shorter than what you see in the photos, but thanks to a lack of air supply and sticky...everything, I lost a large portion of it to some stubborn parchment paper. Good or bad (I'm going with the former), my cake ended up a more compact, albeit massive, 8-layered 'candy bar'. And a candy bar is exactly what it tastes like. A glorified, opera-attending, dark chocolate Bounty bar. And Everyone loved it, even the people who don't like coconut. Good for them. :-)

As long you're not living in constant 100% humidity, I think you'll be fine making this recipe. Just in case though, I've included some notes that should help avoid any potential problems. Enjoy, eat, and share! This cake bridges a gap that sometimes divides even the closest of friends.


Dark Chocolate Macaroon Cake (adapted from a recipe by François Payard)

Ingredients
1 2/3 cups Heavy Cream
10 1/2 ounces (that's about a heaping 1 1/4 cups), of chopped bittersweet chocolate
3 1/2 ounces (that's about 1/2 cup), of chopped dark chocolate (if you prefer, you may use milk chocolate instead)
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
10 ounces (that's 4 2/3 cups), of grated, unsweetened coconut

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Spray or grease an 11-by-17-inch jelly-roll pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray/grease the paper. [Note: You may also want to lightly flour the paper after it's greased as I had a difficult time removing the coconut layer once it was baked.]

In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to just a boil. Remove from the heat, add both the chocolates. Be sure all the pieces are as covered with cream as possible, and let stand for for about 5-7 minutes.
Starting at the center, and using small concentric circles, whisk the cream and chocolate together until smooth.
Set aside 1 cup of the melted chocolate in a covered bowl, at room temperature. Cover the rest and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Prepare a double boiler: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a bare simmer.
Meanwhile, In a large heat-proof bowl (one that will fit over the saucepan without touching the simmering water, beat the eggs, salt, and sugar and at medium speed until blended.
Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk until the eggs are warm to the touch.
Remove from the heat and beat at high speed until tripled in volume (about 5-7 minutes.)
Fold in 3 2/3 cups of the coconut. The rest will be used as garnish.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan in an even layer.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden and firm. [Note: Mine was ready in about 20 minutes.]
Let the cake cool for at least 15 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge of the cake; invert it onto a parchment-lined work surface, and carefully peel off the parchment.
Using a serrated knife, trim the edges and cut the cake into 3 rectangles of equal size. Stack the layers and trim off any uneven sides with the knife. [Note: Because I had such a hard time removing the parchment paper, I ended up losing a good chunk of cake. So instead of 3 layer, ended up with a smaller 8-layer cake.]

Assemble: Remove the chilled chocolate ganache from the refrigerator, if it's not spreadable, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
Set 1 cake layer on a wire rack and spread with some the chilled ganache. [Note: The amount of ganache you use will depend on the size of your cake layers...the smaller the layers, the less will be needed per tier. Just be sure that you will have enough for each one.]
Cover with a second layer and spread with more chilled ganache.
Repeat this process until all layers have been properly ganached. :-)
Remember that cup of ganache you set aside? Pour half of it on top, and spread it evenly, letting it drip slightly down the sides. Now you may pour on the rest, smoothing the top and sides. Don't worry if it's not perfect, no one will care because they will be too busy wanting to eat!
Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then press the remaining coconut onto the sides of the cake.
For best results, refrigerate the cake overnight. I didn't, and it was still fantabulous!

16 comments:

  1. This looks like an absolutely perfect cake to me. Sounds really delicious!

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  2. Oh girl, this cake looks outrageously decadent and good!! :-) Wow - the pictures are so rich. :-)

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  3. I don't know what a Bounty Bar is, but I'd say this looks like a Mounds Bar... my husband's favorite. I have a tooth ache, just imagining the sweetness. But, I'm sure I'd happily eat a slice of this!

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  4. Lara "Coconutter" CallAugust 13, 2011 at 1:49 PM

    "...no one I know likes the white, fluffy shreds of bliss..." au contraire, ma petite! Can't get enough of it (am jumping in the car and heading north right now, in the thrall of coconut madness. Expect me presently - and stick the kettle on, there's a dear). L. xx

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  5. The kettle is on, Lara. And I'll do my best to reserve a slice (or 2). :D

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  6. Wowwowwowwowwow! I bow to greatness!

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  7. Better than a Bounty Bar! That cake looks so luscious and heavenly.$

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  8. OMG! This is just pure decadence. I love it. If only I had a slice right now.

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  9. Man, that looks decadent and lovely!! Very pretty!

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  10. Well, I'm sold. I already love coconut and will eat chocolate if it's surrounded by the fluffy white blissful shreds. That is definitely worth turning your oven on for in hot weather. Gorgeous!
    :)

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  11. What a beautiful cake! Kudos to you for making it work!

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  12. did i miss something? Is there a ganache recipe in there?

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  13. @Anon, It's there, but everything looks kind of jumbled up together. (The first three ingredients are for the ganache.) :)

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  14. Just stumbled this page and it was like landing in heaven, beautiful.

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  15. nice one, very creamy, tasty, delicious and apetisant cake, that i have to try it..

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Thanks for visiting, and for taking the time to read through my ramblings!
If you have a recipe comment or question, I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Baking!
♥ Valerie

 

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